Trolley pole base construction



Dec. 12, 1933.

u M H11 W} W F. E. WALL TROLLEY POLE BASE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l WW W Dec. 12, 1933. F. E. WALL TROLLEY POLE BASE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 23, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 +5 BY W flaw A,

firhW M ATTO RN EYS Patented Dec. 12, 1933 r 1,939,530

.rnop EY'ro E BASE CONSTRUCTION f-Fr arik EfWall, DctroitQMi'ch assignor to Gabriel :3 Steel" Company, Detroit; Mich. a corporation of Michigan a 1A pplication June23, 1930'. Serial No. 463,320

6 Claimsn (Cl. 189-28) The inventionlrelates to metallicspoles ideing one oilthe closing panels and oneof the ,orsigned for supporting electric lights, trolley namental corners detached;

wires,. and-for similar uses, and has more par- Figure 2 is a vertical cross section partlylin ticular reference tothe-construetion'of an ornaelevation on line 2-2 of Figure 3. a mental base for. supporting; such-poles. In addi- Figure 3 is a top plan view; 60

tion. to;, serving as an intermediate .member of Figure 4 is a bottom plan view; and pleasing appearance ,between the; footing and Figure 5 is a vertical section in-a plane transthe-pole pro'pensuch bases are frequently utiverse to Figure 2 on line 55. of Figure 3 showlized, for enclosing; electrical equipment used in ing one of the detachable panels.

1o connection withthe lights. :In-order thatthis Figure 6 is a section on line 6+6 of Figure 3. 65 equipment. can .be installed readily an'd that-acl ,-Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 6 showcess may: be .had to it from time totime, itis ing a modified construction. necessary to provide openings provided with doors As shown, .A is a base plate formed of rolled in the sides ofthisbase. 7 l 1 steel and preferably of polygonal form. The

16 In-the present state of. theart; it isusual to centerof this plate is cut away at B to provide 70 form such ornamental bases of cast metal and of an aperture for the passageof electric wires or a; hollow construction provided with removable cables, and there are also apertures C for the paspanels or doors :providing access to the chamber sage of anchor bolts which secure the base to the within. The .z-base is anchoredto a. a concrete foundation. D and D are side plates which ex- 30; foundation and thepole is bolted to thetop of the tend upward from the base plate A and are se+ Z5 base.

. 1 r cured thereto'by electric welding. These plates In tlie case of; po1es useddor lighting service are fashioned to form opposite sides of the base only; bases made of cast iron are of suflicient and to ,extendaround the corners to the sides at strength for. this service, but are subject. to the right angles thereto. The plates are further objection that 'they are frequently broken by bestrengthened by ribs E. shown as T-bars which are 80. ing struck by passing motor vehicles. The danwelded at intervals to the plate and are also weldger of such a collision is not merelythe damage ed at their lower ends to the base plate A. As due to the direct impact, but is also caused from specifically shown, these ribs are on the opposite the fallingpole which may seriously injure the sides extending inwardly but where the pole is passengers of the motor vehicle or passing pedessubjected to diagonal stresses they may be placed 85. trians. In the case of poles carrying span wires at the bevel corners as indicated in Figure 7 at for the support of overhead trolley wires, etc., E. Fis a top plate secured to the upper ends cast iron bases can not be used as they do not of the side plates D and D by electric welding. possess sufficient strength for the heavy stresses along the upper edges of said plates. The top which occur at the base of such poles. In these plate F is centrally apertured at G and is provided cases, it has been customary to make the base, of with the apertures H for the passage of bolts for cast steel. These cast steel bases, while being securing the base flange of the trolley pole theresatisfactory from the standpoint of strength, are to. As the trolley pole is of the usual standard considerably more expensive than those made of construction, it is not illustrated. 40 cast iron. V v To produce the desired ornamental appearance It is the object of the present invention to obthe corners of the base are provided with ornatain a construction which has the requisite mental members 1, preferably formed of cast iron strength for any purpose for which the pole is and. which may be of any desired shape, number intended and is also of such a character that it or design. These ornamental members at their 45 cannot be shattered when struck by a passing lower ends rest upon an annular member J which loo vehicle. It is also an object to obtain a consurrounds the lower edge of the base A and which struction which, while having the strength of a is preferably formed of an angle bar having its cast steel base, may be manufactured at a conupper flange notched to permit bending to the siderably smaller expense, and which may be contour of the base. This member J is welded 5 made in avariety of designs, either with or withto the base and to the plates D and D so as to out ornamental features. To this end the inproduce the appearance of a heavy block from vention consists in the construction as hereinwhich the tapering sides and corner members after set forth. rise. The space between the plates D and D is In the drawings: closed. by detachable panels K which when re- 5 5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the base showmoved provide access to the interior of the hollow rig base. Molding strips L may also be placed be-' tween the members I at the lower and upper ends I of the plates D and D, and also adjacent to plates L and L which extend between the plates D and D above and below the panels K. g

A base constructed as above described has a mechanical strength far in excess of that which can be obtained from cast iron. Furthermore, any shock applied thereto will not cause a shattering or sudden failure, but merely a deformation, thereby avoiding danger of the dropping of the pole. The ornamentation being formed by cast members, it is possible to change the design at any time at small expense. Also to facilitate such change the members I are not welded to the structure but are merely secured by tap bolts M which are engaged on the inner side'of the plates D and D. Thus my improved construction is one which is adapted for all of the ordinary uses of metallic poles, is relatively low in cost of manufacture and has the great advantage of insuring safety against the dropping of the pole.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A base for trolley or light poles comprising a hollow member formed from wrought metal plates or shapes including a base plate, opposite side plates fashioned to extend around the corners and a top plate, the upper and lower-ends of said side plates being welded respectively to said base and top plates, and detachable panels extending between said welded side plates and secured thereto.

2. A base for trolley or light poles comprising a hollow member formed from wrought metal plates or shapes including a base plate, opposite side plates extending upward therefrom and fashioned to extend around the corners, a top plate, the ends of said side plates being welded to said bottom and top plates, detachable panels for closing the space between said side plates and ornamental members detachably secured to said side plates. 3

3. A base for trolley or light poles comprising a hollow member formed from wrought metal plates or shapes including a base plate, opposite side plates extending upward therefrom fashioned to extend around the corners, a top plate, the ends of said side plates being welded to said bottom and top plates, an anchor bar bent about the contour of said base plate and secured thereto and to said side plates to give the appearance of a heavy base block, and ornamental members secured to the comers of said side plates and extending from base to top.

4. A base for trolley or light poles comprising a'hollow member formed of wrought metal plates or shapes including a base plate of polygonal form and'centrally cut away, opposite side plates rising from said base plate and spaced inwardly from the outer edges thereof, said side plates being fashioned to extend around the corners and having their lower edges welded to said base plate, a top plate welded to the upper edges of said side plates, an angle bar bent about the contour of said base plate and welded thereto, the top flange of said angle extending inward to said side plates and welded thereto, ornamental members formed of cast metal secured to the corner of said side plates and detachable panels for closing the space between said side plates.

5. A base for trolley or light poles comprising a'hollow member formed from wroughtmetal plates or shapes including a base plate, opposite side plates rising therefrom fashioned to extend around the comers, a top plate, said side plates being welded at their upper and lower ends to said top and bottom plates, and reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally of said side plates and welded thereto at'intervals, said ribs being welded at their upper and lower ends to said'top and 110 bottom plates.

6. A base for trolley or light poles'comprising a hollow member having a base and opposite sides formed of wrought metal plates welded to each other, said sides being fashioned to extend 1 5 around the corners, a top member adapted to support the pole welded to the upper ends of said side plates and detachable panels extending between said side plates and secured thereto.

I FRANK E. WALL. 12G 

